NEW DELHI: Japan is seeking to attract more Indian students as the United States, Britain and Australia tighten eligibility and visa rules for foreign enrolments. Tokyo is targeting an intake of 5,000 students from India over the next three years, sources said.
A delegation of vice-chancellors from 30 Indian universities, led by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), visited Japan from January 12 to 17 to deepen cooperation in higher education, research and innovation. Discussions were held with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and universities including the University of Tokyo.
A senior educationist who was part of the delegation said, “Japan is planning to roll out fellowships and scholarships for Indian students to motivate them to pursue their education there.”
“To sort out language issues, the first year of any degree would be held in English, with international students taught Japanese to ensure they are fluent in it,” he added.
Japan has also promised to ensure that more of its students pursue higher education in India. “They also assured us that students of Japan would be sent to India to study Yoga, spiritualism related course as well as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects,” the educationist said.
Japan is also keen on offering jobs to students who have graduated from India. “They are looking at individuals with a working knowledge of Japanese along with the expertise required for the particular job,” he said, adding that faculty exchanges between the two countries would take place regularly.
Another source said, “The vice-chancellors described the visit as highly enriching. It will play a crucial role in shaping future academic collaborations between Indian and Japanese universities.”
The delegation also met Indian Ambassador to Japan Nagma Mohamed Mallick, the source said. “Strengthening bilateral academic ties, enhancing the global visibility of Indian higher education, advancing student and faculty mobility, joint research initiatives and joint or dual degree programmes were discussed during the meeting.”
Beyond academic engagements, the visit included cultural experiences showcasing Japan’s heritage to foster deeper people-to-people ties, the AIU said in a statement.